Wagon-tongue support



(M0del.)

R. DUDLEY.

WAGON TONGUE SUPPORT.

No. 245,460. Patented Aug. 9,1881..

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD DUDLEY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

WAGON-TONGUESUPPORT.

SPECIFICAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,460, dated August 9, 1881.

Application filet] May 14, 1881. (Model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD DUDLEY, of the city of Erie, and countyof Erie, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved WVagon-l7ongue Support, ofwh icl1 the followin g .is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relatesto an improvement npon the wagon-tongne support seeured to me by Letters Patent No. 189,344, bearing date April 10, 1877.

The ohject of my improvement is to s0 construct the pair of springs for support-Mg the wagon-tongue that a greater torsional action will be attained than heretofore; also, to provide means for adjnsting the tongne at the required degree otelevation; also, to provide an anxiliary springadapted to he brought into aetion aftera partofthe vibration of the said pair ofsnpporting-springs has been taken np. These objects I attain by means of the devices hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top or Plan view, and Fig2 a side view, of the wagon-tongne and honnds provided with my improved arrangement of springs and adjusting device.

Aindicates the wagon tongne or polo, which is pivoted between the honnds bymeans of the tongne-bolt a passing laterally through the honnds. the tongne, and the tongnejaws D, which latter are secnred to the sides of the longue in the nsual way. Thehoun dsB and the axle B, herein shown, are also constrncted in the ordinary manner.

Thepair of main 01' primary torsional springs 0 whieh I cmploy for supporting the forward end of the ton gne are each form ed and applied as follows: The rear end of the spring-rod of which thespring is composed is connected with the honnds at a point near the axle, and for such purpose it is bent inward and extended laterally across the under side of the hounds, as at (1, and then bent npward so as to clamp the inner side of the honnd. The spring-rod extends from the commencement of its bend at the on ter side of the hound forward and alongside of the same, With an inclination which Will bring it to a point about over the tongne-bolt. At this point it is bent inward at rightangles to its said inclined enter portion, d, and is extended transversely over the honnd and the tongue to that one of the pair of tongne-jaws whieh is next to the opposite honnd. At this point it is Dent at right angles to the transverse portion d crossing the tongue, and is extended slightly npward and forward in a line nearly parallel With the tongne as at (1 after whieh it is again hent inward at right angles to the longitudinal part (Z so as to form a short arm, d which is provided at its inner end with a hook, which is connected With a strap or 100 E, provided with holes 6 for receiving said hook end, and arranged to pass under the tongne for the pnrpose of supporting the same. The two springs which are constructed and applied in this manner cross each other, as illnstrated in Fig.l,and at their bonds or angles between the parts (1 (I have their bearings npon the tongue-jaws. It will be seen 'that by this arrangement the springs will eftectively support the tongue, and at the same timewill be maintained in position without the necessity of employing staples, whieh, if driven into either thetongue orits jaws, Will tend to weaken the same, and also diminish the developmentof the.torsional action of the sprin gs, which, in the presentinstan ce, is greatly increased by reason of the longitudinal extensions d formed at ri ghtan gles to the transverse parts (F, and the lateral arms d bent at right angles cc-the said extensions 61 and also by reason of the Springs being connected With the honnds near the axle, and at their forward ends connected with the pole-snpporting strap in front of the tongne-bolt on which the tongue is pivoted.

In order to adjust the tongue in therequired elevation, I arrange in the lower portion of the tongt-supporting 100p a set-serew, r, adapted t0 bear against the nnder sideof the tongue, whereby, by adjusting the said set-screw, the tongue can be raised or lowered in its supportin g-loop.

F represents the rear, secondary, or auxiliary spring, which consists of a transverselyarrangedspring-bar havingits ends Dent and clasped over the hounds at points adjacent to the axle. To the middle of this bar is secured an arm, f, having at its forward end a hook,f, that engages with a chain, Gr, npon the rear end of the tongue. This spring is employed as an auxiliary to the upper forward pair of springs in taking up any extra or undue strain that 1naybe brought to bear upon the said upperpair ofsprings, and is also availabie in case of theneck-yoke and wagonrongue being of more than ordinary weight. For this purpose it is set by connecting its hook-arm with one of the links of the chain, so that it will be brought into action after a partant thevibratorymovement; of the upper pair of springs has been taken up.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a wagon-tongue support, the torsionai spring connected at its rear end With the hound at a point near the axle, and at its forward end connected wibh the tongue-supporting 100p, said spring beingformed winh an inclined portion extending alongside of the hound, a transverse portion extending latexaliy across the hound and tongue and bearing npon the tongnejaw adjacent to the opposite honnd, then extended forward and upward in line nearly parallel with the tongue, and then bentinwardly at ri ghban gles to said last-specified extension, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a wagon-tongue support, of the torsional springs with the tonguesupporting 100p provided with a seb-screw arranged t be ar against the under side of the tongue in order to raise or lower the latter, substantiali y as described.

3. The combinanion, in a wagon-tongue support, of the torsional springs with an auxiliary spring, F, provided with an arm adjustablyconnected with the rear end of the tongue, said spring being arranged to be broughtito action after a portion of the vibration et the torsional springs has been taken up, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the f0regoing I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of May, 1881.

RIOHA RD DUDLEY.

Witnesses CHAS. DUDLEY, CYRUS F. DEAN. 

